Mechanically attached adapters are generally known in the art. In many applications, the adapter is bolted to the base edge of a bucket. In these applications, it is many times difficult to remove the bolts once the bucket has been exposed to normal use. Additionally, as the components increase in size, it is more difficult to get bolts large enough and/or to apply sufficient torque to properly tighten the bolts. Furthermore, the bottom of the bucket is subject to high wear, consequently, resulting in the nut and bolt-end being worn away prematurely allowing the adapter to come loose and fall off. In other applications, a C-shaped member is vertically inserted through slots in the upper and lower straps of the adapter and through the base edge and held in place with a wedge. In these applications, as noted above, the bottom of the bucket is subject to high wear resulting in the lower portion of the C-shaped member wearing prematurely allowing it to come loose resulting in the adapter falling off the bucket. In an edge protector arrangement, a member is welded to the top of a base plate and a rubber layered securing member is placed therein to secure the edge protector member to the base edge. In this arrangement, the rubber layered locking member is subject to premature failure when used in harsh environments and may prematurely fail or come out, thus, allowing the edge protector to come loose and fall off the base edge.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.